Truth, Goodness and Facts

 Truth, Goodness and Facts

Horkheimer’s critique of Kant was over the assumption that the good brought happiness!   Kant believed that we must do our duty even if it meant every person on earth would suffer. Kant is a non-consequentialist and happiness, as well as suffering, are consequences. Kant does not care one whit about consequences, he cares about motives, intentions, good will; he cares about what happens BEFORE the action is performed, not about what happens after duty is fulfilled.

‘Good or happiness’ - many philosophers believe that “good” means happiness, which is not always clear cut. Good is too often a non-cognitive term - good cannot be perceived. And, good does not necessarily lead to happiness.

Truth also is vague. Truth as truth-telling is different from truth as factual. One can be telling the truth in terms of their emotional state of mind or consciously while being completely erroneous about the facts. But, many philosophers equate truth and rightness, that in being “right” they articulate the truth which is not appropriate. 

Truth may not require evidence. Truth may forever be unknown because of a lack of evidence or because reasoning cannot establish necessity. Knowledge requires evidence. According to the foremost epistemological theory, knowledge is "justified true belief." True belief alone is not sufficient for knowledge because one might hold a belief which is true by accident or coincidence. 

A "justification" usually involves the presentation of evidence.

The standard for truth is rationality which means that a truth or rightness claim is motivated by a justified, warranted and grounded consensus which includes the perspectives of all, hence rational. In other words, evidence is necessary.

There are preventions of nature’s wrath. Humans are part of nature, can understand nature and rationally control it. Humans can prevent catastrophes.

Truth adds values to 'facts.'  The term "fact" has two easily conflated meanings. The first is simply "true statement"; truth cannot be understood without redundancy. The second meaning can be compressed as "the way the world is," which includes objects, events, situations, etc., in the universe, including truths about an individual's state of mind: what a person knew about a state affairs at a given time and their intentions.

Truth addresses the accuracy, or adequacy of descriptions about facts. Truth includes several dilemmas beyond the fact-value difference. To explain an event or a happening - why it emerged and how to formulate it, truth must address both teleology or goal-directedness - how certain goals or aims determined or influenced the event, and causality, the causes, reasons and intentions that led to the effects and consequences. 

Formulating the truth about events or change involves interpretation and reinterpretations - properly attributing the teleological and causative elements of the event.